Combined denture case and brush

ABSTRACT

A combined denture case and brush having a container providing a denture receptacle and a brush receptacle, the brush being positionable in the brush receptacle to provide a handle for the combined case and brush.

United States Patent 1 Crawford 1541 COMBINED DENTURE CASE AND BRUSH Inventor:

[76] Lois H. Crawford, 2949 North Jackson, Fresno, Calif. 93703 Filed: Nov. 22, 1971 Appl. No.: 200,894

US Cl. ..206/l5.l E, 15/167 Int. Cl. .....A45d 44/18, A45d 44/20, A46b 5/02 Field of Search ..206/l5.1 E, 15.1 B,

[ 1 May 15, 1973 Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer A tt0rney Herbert A. Huebner et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A combined denture case and brush having a con tainer providing a denture receptacle and a brush receptacle, thebrush being positionable in the brush receptacle to provide a handle for the combined case and brush.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures I v l PATENTED HAY 1 5 I975 m0 me Q.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a denture case and more particularly to such a denture case which insures the maintenance of sanitary conditions during use, is compact and has an associated denture brush which is adapted to be inserted into an individual sanitary compartment in the case when not in use and which serves as a handle for the case and the brush.

The use and care of dentures is frequently a source of discomfort and embarrassment. The dentures must be removed for cleaning, usually by soaking in a cleaning solution and brushing to remove stains and food particles therefrom. The dentures are frequently stored or soaked overnight for use the next day. In the past, dentures have commonly been cleaned and stored in any available receptacle such as a glass, cup, or the like. So contained, such dentures are open to observation by anyone who may happen upon them and are exposed to airborne contaminants. Embarrassment and the aggravation of an existing self-conscious attitude about wearing dentures is frequently the result.

The few cases available on the market which are specifically designed for the cleaning and storage of dentures have proved to be less than satisfactory. While they are commonly opaque and closable so as to preclude observation of the dentures contained therein, they have not provided a sanitary, compact method of storing a denture brush. As a result, such brushes have been stored exteriorly of the denture case where they are subject to observation. Furthermore, such storage is not conducive to the maintenance of sanitary conditions in that the brush is exposed to bacteria borne by surrounding objects in the room and carried in the air. Use of such a contaminated brush is, of course, unsanitary.

Finally, most brushes employed for the cleaning of dentures have been common toothbrushes, or brushes similar thereto. While they have permitted cleaning of dentures as in the brushing of teeth, they have not fully taken advantage of the fact that dentures, by being removed from the mouth, are accessible for more thorough cleaning of confined areas of the dentures by utilizing a brush particularly suited to the purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved combined denture case and brush.

Another object is to provide such a case and brush which provides a maximum degree of privacy in the cleaning and storage of dentures.

Another object is to provide such a device which insures the maintenance of sanitary conditions in the cleaning and storage of dentures.

Another object is to provide such a device which permits dentures and a denture brush simultaneously to be stored under sanitary conditions within the device when not in use.

Another object is to provide such a device which includes a denture brush specifically adapted for the cleaning of dentures.

A further object is to provide such a device which has a denture brush which may be utilized as a handle for the denture case when the denture brush is inserted therewithin.

A still further object is to provide such a device which is compact and convenient for use on a daily basis.

Other objects and advantages. are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device for the purposes described which is dependable, economical, durable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the combined denture case and brush of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section, taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a transverse, vertical section, taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the denture case.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the denture brush.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawing, FIGS. 1 through 3 show a combined denture case and brush of the present invention, generally indicated by the numeral 10 consisting of a denture case 11 and a brush 12. The case and brush may be constructed of any suitable material but are preferably of a rigid, durable plastic material which is opaque to obscure vision therethrough.

The denture case 11 consists of a container 18 having a bottom wall 19 and a peripheral wall 20. The periph eral wall has coextensive end walls 21 and side walls 22. The peripheral wall is bowed outwardly, as shown, to define a longitudinally cup-shaped interior compartment 23. The peripheral wall has an exterior surface 24.

The peripheral wall 20 has a peripheral edge 30 circumscribing an open upper end 31 A divider wall 32 integral with the container 18 is disposed within the compartment 23 adjacent to one of the end wall 27 and extends from the bottom wall to the peripheral edge of the container. The wall divides the compartment so as to define a denture receptacle 33 of sufficient size to accommodate a denture 34 and a. brush receptacle 35 of sufficient size to accommodate the brush 12. The divider wall has a sealing edge 36 disposed in the plane defined by the peripheral edge of the peripheral wall.

A notch 40 is provided in the peripheral wall 20 at the end wall 21 which is adjacent to the divider wall 32 and extends through the peripheral edge 30, as best shown in FIG. 5. A socket 41 is provided in the exterior surface 24 of the end wall having the notch, in spaced relation therefrom. A closure 42 is mounted on one of the side walls 20 by hinges 43 extending therebetween. The closure has a peripherally grooved seal 44 of dimensions conforming to those of the peripheral edge and adapted to engage the peripheral edge of the container 18 in fluid tight sealing relation upon closing of the closure so that the closure is in covering relation to the opening 31 of the compartment 23. A transverse grooved seal 45 is provided on the closure adapted to engage the sealing edge 36 of the divider wall in fluid tight sealing relation. When the closure is so engaged in sealing relation on the peripheral edge and sealing edge, the denture receptacle 33 and the brush receptacle 35 are maintained in individually sealed relation.

The brush 12 has a head 50 and a somewhat resiliently flexible arcuate handle 51. The head is angled at 52 more than 45 but less than 90, approximately 60 being preferred. The head has a remote end 53 and the handle has a detent end 54. Bristles 55 are mounted on an extend from the first portion of the head in substantially normal relation thereto. The bristles 55 have ends 56 disposed in a common plane substantially parallel to the portion of the head from which they extend. Bristles 57 are mounted on the angular extension of the head and extend in substantially normal relation thereto. The bristles 57 have ends 58 trimmed to substantially prismatic form, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and OPERATION The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. When not in use, the combined denture case and brush is disposed in the relationship best shown in FIG. 3. In this arrangement, the head 50 of the brush 12 is received in the brush receptacle 35 of the container 18 with the ends 56 of the bristles 55 compressed against the divider wall 32 and with the remote end 53 of the angled portion 52 rested against the end wall 21 of the compartment 23. In this relationship, the handle 51 of the brush extends through the notch 40 of the end wall 2!, to which it is preferably fitted in substantially fluid tight relation and the end 54 of the handle is pressed into the socket 41 of the side wall.

The closure 42 is fitted in covering relation to the compartment 23 of the container 18 with the peripheral grooved seal 44 engaging the peripheral edge 30 and the transverse grooved seal engaging the sealing edge 36 of the divider wall 32 in fluid tight sealing relation. The brush is thus securely received in fixed relation in the container with the handle 51 extending outwardly of the exterior surface 24 of the container, as best shown in FIG. 3. The handle can, therefore, be conveniently used as a handle for the container when so disposed. Since, in this relationship, the denture receptacle 33 is in fluid tight sealed relation and the brush receptacle 35 in substantially fluid tight sealed relation by the closure, a denture 34 may be retained in the denture receptacle with suitable cleaning solution for soaking overnight without the fear of leakage therefrom. Similarly, a cleaning solution can be maintained in the brush receptacle 35 for soaking of the brush 12 without the danger of leakage therefrom. The denture case 11 can, of course, be used for storage of the denture and the brush with or without such cleaning solutions.

When it is desired to clean the denture 34 using the brush 12, the brush is first removed from the denture case 11. This is accomplished by opening the closure 42 to the position shown in FIG. 5. The brush 12 can then be removed from the brush receptacle 35 by pulling the snap end 54 of the handle 51 out of engagement with the socket 41 and sliding the brush out of the notch 40 and brush receptacle. The handle portion is then grasped between the thumb and index finger of the hand so that the ends 56 of the bristles 55 may be drawn in scrubbing relation over the surface of the denture 34. Alternatively, for cleaning of confined areas in the denture, the bristles 57 having a substantially prismatic form can be employed to clean such confined areas.

After cleaning of a denture 34, the denture can be deposited for storage or soaking in the denture receptacle 33 of the container 18 and the brush 12 can be cleaned and reinserted into the brush receptacle, as already described and shown in FIG. 3.

It will be seen that the combined denture case and brush 10 of the present invention provides a compact, convenient device for the storage and cleaning of dentures while insuring a maximum of sanitary protection for both the denture 34 and the denture brush 12. The provision for bristles 55 and bristles 57 on the denture brush l2 insures that thorough cleaning of the denture is made possible taking full advantage of the accessibility to confined areas of the denture. Furthermore, the provision for a closure 42 and the fact that the denture case 11 is preferably constructed of an opaque plastic material insures that dentures stored within the denture case 11 will be obscured from view so as to maximize privacy.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative details disclosed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined denture case and brush comprising a container having a compartment provided with an access opening circumscribed by a peripheral edge, said peripheral edge having a notch in communication with the compartment and the container having an external socket provided in spaced relation from the notch; a releasable closure for the opening adapted to overlay said peripheral edge and notch; and a brush in the container having a handle extended through the notch and received in the socket, the handle being resilient, the brush engaging the interior of the container with the handle stressed in releasable engagement with the socket and being disposed to serve as a handle for the case.

2. The combined denture case and brush of claim 1 in which the container has an exterior wall and an interior wall in spaced relation to the exterior wall and therewith defining a brush receptacle, the brush has bristles received in the brush receptacle in resilient compression against the interior wall urging a portion of the brush within the brush receptacle against the outer wall, and the handle is resiliently stressed between said portion of the brush engaging the outer wall and the socket.

3. A combined denture case and brush comprising a container having a compartment and an exterior surface having a notch therein communicating with the compartment and a socket positioned in spaced relation from the notch; a wall disposed within the compartment of the container; and a brush having a resiliently flexible handle and bristles received against the wall with the handle extending through the notch and compressed into the socket, the handle being of an arcuate configuration so that when received in the compartment of the container with the bristles against the wall the handle extends through the notch of the container and is arcuately stressed to snap into the socket to form a handle for the container.

4. The combined denture case and brush of claim 3 in which the wall in the compartment of the container able between a position sealing both receptacles with the handle of the brush extending through the notch and compressed into the socket and an open position defines a denture receptacle and a brush receptacle, 5 releasing the brush 

1. A combined denture case and brush comprising a container having a compartment provided with an access opening circumscribeD by a peripheral edge, said peripheral edge having a notch in communication with the compartment and the container having an external socket provided in spaced relation from the notch; a releasable closure for the opening adapted to overlay said peripheral edge and notch; and a brush in the container having a handle extended through the notch and received in the socket, the handle being resilient, the brush engaging the interior of the container with the handle stressed in releasable engagement with the socket and being disposed to serve as a handle for the case.
 2. The combined denture case and brush of claim 1 in which the container has an exterior wall and an interior wall in spaced relation to the exterior wall and therewith defining a brush receptacle, the brush has bristles received in the brush receptacle in resilient compression against the interior wall urging a portion of the brush within the brush receptacle against the outer wall, and the handle is resiliently stressed between said portion of the brush engaging the outer wall and the socket.
 3. A combined denture case and brush comprising a container having a compartment and an exterior surface having a notch therein communicating with the compartment and a socket positioned in spaced relation from the notch; a wall disposed within the compartment of the container; and a brush having a resiliently flexible handle and bristles received against the wall with the handle extending through the notch and compressed into the socket, the handle being of an arcuate configuration so that when received in the compartment of the container with the bristles against the wall the handle extends through the notch of the container and is arcuately stressed to snap into the socket to form a handle for the container.
 4. The combined denture case and brush of claim 3 in which the wall in the compartment of the container defines a denture receptacle and a brush receptacle, and a closure is mounted on the container and is movable between a position sealing both receptacles with the handle of the brush extending through the notch and compressed into the socket and an open position releasing the brush. 